Improved process of converting wrought-iron, wire ribbon, and plates



W. A. SHAW. CONVERTING WEQUGET IRON WIRE, RIBBON, AND PLATES INTO STEEL No 90.313. Patented May 18. 1869.

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Letters Patent No. 90,313, dated May 18, 1869.

mnqvnn PROCESS OF CONVERTING WROU'G-HT-IRON, RIBBON, AIID PLATES,

' INTO STEEL.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To whom it may concern.-

. Be it known that I, WILLIAM As'rnosy SHAW, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Process of Converting \Vrougbt- Iron Ribbon, Wire, and Plates, into Steel; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referemze being bad to the accompauying drawings.

The nature of my invention consists- First, in the process of converting iron into steel by the employment of a liquid bath of cyanide of potas siuin and charcoal, prepared as hereinafter described, in which the iron is immersed for a time proportionate to the thickness of the'metal to be converted, which affects the conversion of the iron into a better quality of steel, in less time than has hitherto been accomplished by any process of this character heretofore devised.

Second, in the process for converting the iron into steel, and distributing or equalizing the conversion, by firstimmersing the metal in aliquid bath of the character above specified, and afterwards subjecting the metal, when taken out from such bath, to aprolonged heating, in the manner hereinafter set forth.

In practically working out my process in the large way, I have constructed a furnace as shown in perspective, Figure 1, and in cross-section, Figure 2, having a cast-iron cover or top, a, with a circular openingfora pan or flat-bottom kettle, b, of cast-iron, which is placed immediately over the fire, and is supported by a flange around its top, as shown in the drawing. This pan is -of any convenient size, say twenty-four inches diameter inside, and twelve inches deep.

. Fitted into this kettle is a perforated cast-iron disk, 0, about five-eighths of an inch thick, which is elevated out of the kettle by a rod, 11, attached to a chain, j; passing over rollers of a car, h.

The car is supported on a railway, Ic, which permits the operator to move the disk a-short distance from the furnace, and to return it again, when loaded, to the kettle.

'- Over the whole furnace may be placed a canopy or hood of sheet-iron, with a pipe leading into the chimney or stack of the furnace, to carry olf any fumes arising from the bath.

The kettle has also a lid, m, which is used from time to time to partly protect the bath from the atmosphere.

Into this kettle 1 put cyanide of potassium, in sufficient quantity to fill the kettle half full when melted; The fire in the furnace is next elevated, and when the melted cyanide of potassium has become of cherry-red heat, I add, in small portions at atime, grains, about the size of pears, of well-burned and thoroughly-dry charcoal, until about one quartbas been added. The whole is well stirred, and a full cherry-red heat maintained.

The articles to be converted are placed on the disk, the whole pushed over the bath, and gently immersed n it.

At this stage of the process there is an unevennessof conversion; the surface is a higher steel than the centre. The subsequent treatment distributes or equalizes this, as well as perfectly annealing the wire.

After drying, the coils are placed in an oven and cov- 'ered with powdered plumbago or kaoline, prepared as described for use in the muflie of my tempering-appa ratus, for which I have filed an application for Letters Patent, of evenI.date herewith, or other powderwhi'ch will protect the wire from oxidation, and not at the same time cohere to the wire, nor its particles cementtogether by the heat required.

Thus protected, the coils are heated to a cherry-red heat, for a time proportionate to that during which they were exposed to the bath of cyanide, of potassium and charcoal. .Ordinary wire and ribbon are best when thus heated for about five hours.

, The next operation is to temper the articles. This may be effected in the usual manner; but for wire and ribbon, the apparatus and process described by me, in myabove-mentioned application for Letters Patent, of even date herewith, are superior to any other mode.

Having now described myinvention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pattent, is-

1. The process of converting wrought-iron ribbon, wire, plates, or like articles, into steel, by the employment of a bath of cyanide of potassium and charcoal, prepared substantially as described, in which the metal tobe converted is treated as herein set forth.

2. The process of converting the wrought-iron into steel, and of distributing or equalizing the conversion by first treating the metal to be converted, in a bath of the character specified, and afterwards subjecting it, when taken from the bath, to aprolonged heating, substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

3. Anapparatus for converting wrought-iron into steel, constructed substantially as herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, before two subscribing witnesses.

WM. ANTHONY SHAW.

Witnesses:

D. D. PARMELEE, 00R. L. DISOSWAY. 

